Equipment that simulates acoustic positioning operations on dynamically positioned (DP) rigs and ships, has been supplied by Sonardyne Brasil Ltda. to vessel control and automation company, GE Power Conversion for their new training school in Macaé.

The Sonardyne Marksman hardware and 6G Sim software will be used to provide student DP Officers (DPOs) with an understanding of the important role acoustic positioning has in assisting a vessel to remain in a specified location whilst underwater operations are being conducted.

The Sonardyne Marksman acoustic simulator equipment supplied to GE will help train the next generation of Brazilian DP Officers.

DP is the automated control technology that enables a deep water mobile drilling unit, well intervention, survey or construction vessel to maintain a predetermined heading and position, fixed or moving, using its own thrusters and propellers.

To counteract the effects of wind, current and wave action, all DP systems require aiding from position and motion sensors in order to calculate the required steering angle and thruster output needed to keep the vessel in the required position. Subsea acoustic positioning, along with satellite navigation, surface-based lasers and high performance attitude sensors form the primary suite of sensors that a DP system is interfaced to.

Sonardyne’s Marksman system calculates a vessel’s position relative to an array of transponders deployed on the seabed. The technique is known as Long and Ultra-Short Baseline (LUSBL) and it provides an accurate and highly stable position reference for DP vessels where remaining in a specified location is a critical operational requirement.

The Sonardyne equipment now installed at GE’s Macaé facility includes a Navigation PC running the Marksman LUSBL application, along with 6G Sim, a software application that simulates an array of transponders on seabed transmitting signals up to the surface. The system has been interfaced with GE’s well-proven ‘C’ series DP desk to provide DP operators with an onshore training experience that is realistic as possible to being offshore.

Commenting on the supply of Marksman to GE, Mark Carter, Global Business Manager for DP and Drilling at Sonardyne said, “Our technologies are deployed in all of Brazil’s deep water fields, helping to survey pipelines, install structures and drill wells.” He added, “Simulator-based training, like that offered by GE in Macaé and ourselves in Rio das Ostras, not only helps maximise equipment performance, it also reduces operational risk. We’re delighted that GE has selected Marksman to help train the next generation of Brazilian DPOs.

For more information on Marksman LUSBL, click here

Churchill Drilling Tools, an oil and gas engineering company specializing in dart activated string technology, is celebrating after winning the acclaimed Innovation Award at the recent Press and Journal Gold Awards.

Churchill won the award for its innovative approach to technology within the drilling sector. The company’s flagship products, the DAV MX™ CircSub and the HyPR HoleSaver™ have been recognized for their versatility, performance and reliability in challenging environments.

This is the second award for innovation the company has won in the last six months, having scooped the Grampian Award for Innovation at the 2016 Elevator Awards in July.

It has been a standout year for the DAV MX™ CircSub which saw Churchill Drilling Tools implement a number of innovative improvements to the performance and reliability of the tool. The introduction of the Ultra-Series Dart (USD) increased the potential speed of activation by up to 25% and the 75% lower shear out pressure enables the tool to be used in wells with compromised hydraulics. A major operator has already put these new capabilities to use in a challenging high deviation well in the Norwegian sector where the USD was used on a hole cleaning, displacement and mud screening operations.

Churchill was also pleased to present a world’s first with the Emergency Shut-Off Dart. This new dart makes the DAV MX™ the first circulation valve with a proven back-up closing mechanism. This was of recent use to a major operator in the North Sea where a 17-hour milling section was completed without having to trip out to replace an over-stressed valve.

Additionally, the HyPR HoleSaver™ has also been recognized as an innovative contingency technology for drilling operations and has been employed as an insurance against stuck pipe in several territories, including the North Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the Middle East.

Making use of ordinary drilling mud, the user-operated HyPR™ jetting dart can cut through a full strength sub in under two hours. Drilling engineers have the option of using either a Cementing Dart which allows for rapid side-tracking after cementing operations or, if an attempt to fish the BHA is preferred, a Fishing Dart can be pumped down, leaving a clean box to fish once the dart has cut the string free; the dart is then carried back to the surface as the cut pipe is withdrawn.

Mike Churchill, CEO, said of the award: “It is an honor for Churchill Drilling Tools to win the Innovation Award at the second P&J Gold Awards. It is a recognition of our team’s continued commitment to innovation and technical excellence – coinciding at a time where the industry is being urged to adopt new methods and support new technology.

“With our performance improvements to the DAV MX™ already being of value to major operators and our HyPR HoleSaver™ tool reflecting the demands of the industry for cost effective answers to its challenges – the Innovation Award is further evidence of our commitment to developing specialist tools which save operators time and money in new and exciting ways.”

Sparrows Group is set to further grow its presence in the Asian Pacific market following the formation of a partnership between Sparrows Offshore Services Pte Ltd and SapuraKencana Technology Sdn Bhd, the latter being a wholly-owned subsidiary of SapuraKencana Petroleum Berhad.

The partnership will see both entities collaborating in the provision of offshore and onshore crane services including manufacturing, supply, operations, maintenance and overhaul of offshore and onshore cranes for the oil and gas industry in Malaysia.

SapuraKencana’s fabrication yard at Lumut, Sparrows Group will collaborate with the firm across Malaysia.

Sparrows Group is currently working with a number of drilling firms in Malaysia but this new alliance will see the group’s activity with operators in the country grow significantly.

Stewart Mitchell, chief executive officer at Sparrows Group, said: “SapuraKencana Petroleum is a prominent and well respected company and this partnership is right in many regards for us. It brings together two companies that have a reputation for delivering quality to the energy sector and SapuraKencana’s commitment to excellence is in line with our own values.

“Our specialist capabilities will complement SapuraKencana Petroleum’s diverse range of service offerings and we are confident that their knowledge and experience will support us in further establishing our presence in the country.”

Vivek Arora, Senior Vice President of Business Acquisition of SapuraKencana Petroleum said: “The collaboration with Sparrows Group will expand our range of service offerings in operations and maintenance (O&M) services. We are confident that this partnership will enable sharing of knowledge and technologies in providing high quality solutions to our clients in the oil and gas industry.”

Decom North Sea has appointed Nigel Lees as the new Chairman of the Board.

As Vice President responsible for Decommissioning at Wood Group, Mr. Lees has amassed considerable experience in decommissioning, as well as an extensive industry network, and has been an active member on the Decom North Sea board of directors for the past five years.

Nigel Less, Decom North Sea new chairman

Commenting on his appointment, Mr. Lees said: “As the spotlight intensifies on decommissioning and how the industry will prepare for the challenges ahead, this is an exciting time for me to take up the reins as Chairman. I believe that Decom North Sea has a crucial role to play in representing its membership as the recognised body for the decommissioning supply chain, working closely with our industry partners and government to ensure these challenges are met and opportunities realised in the most appropriate manner.

“I look forward to utilising my knowledge of the industry and working closely with the board to ensure that Decom North Sea continues to be at the forefront of the decommissioning agenda.”

Roger Esson, Decom North Sea Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted to announce Nigel's election to the post of Chairman, as we have valued his input and commitment to the body over the last five years.

“This is a challenging time for the North Sea industry in general, with late life asset management and decommissioning increasingly appearing on the agenda. I have no doubt that Nigel’s significant experience and network will contribute to helping our members - and the wider industry - understand and prepare for what lies ahead.”

Mr. Lees’ election follows the decision of Callum Falconer to step down after two years, during which time he was instrumental to the development of the organisation.

Decom North Sea will once again be hosting its annual Offshore Decommissioning Conference on 14-16 November, in conjunction with Oil & Gas UK. One of the main focuses of the event will be late life planning and asset management, which has been recognised as a significant opportunity for the industry in the decommissioning process.

Harris CapRock Communications launched its OnePath long-range wireless radio to address the growing demand for bandwidth in the cruise, energy and commercial maritime industries.

The OnePath radio offers a unique mode of connectivity that is complementary to Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) technology, providing higher throughput and increased redundancy.

The radio enables a fully secure, localized wireless data/voice network complete with traffic management. It provides first/last mile connection and can close links in excess of 160 km with appropriate heights. Licensed or unlicensed spectrum options are available with throughputs of up to 400 mbps. It is equipped with operating modes for Point-to-Point and Point-to-Multi-Point applications.

“The OnePath radio solution offers best-in-class throughput performance and spectrum efficiency and is lightweight, rugged and easy to deploy,” said Matthew Broida, vice president, marketing, Harris CapRock. “It offers extremely low latency to ensure rapid delivery of high bandwidth applications including VoIP, real-time video, teleconferencing and sensor traffic.”

The OnePath radio is part of Harris CapRock’s One Clear Path promise – offering a robust, always-on communications experience delivered by a secure, optimized network that is supported by a worldwide redundant infrastructure.

A Teesside college has teamed up with an energy training specialist to help industry unlock opportunities in the offshore wind, and oil and gas sectors.

Redcar & Cleveland College and Maersk Training have come together to develop a new learning programme for professionals seeking to work on projects in these sectors.

Created by experienced industry professionals, the offshore wind program covers areas such as fire awareness, first aid, major and minor cabling, electrical awareness, working at heights and sea survival. It will be taught across two sites, at the college’s Corporation Road campus in Redcar and Maersk Training’s base in Newcastle, and will allow learners to study for the nationally recognized qualifications they need to work in this growing sector.

The move follows several developments that have created job opportunities locally in the sector. Earlier this year Norwegian energy giant Statoil announced it was looking for North East suppliers to work on the Dogger Bank development in the North Sea. Meanwhile, thousands of jobs are being created on Humberside where Siemens is building a new turbine factory – a scheme that will create work for the North East supply chain.

There’s also the prospect of further developments coming on stream, with the Government aiming to increase the UK’s installed wind energy capacity from 6GW (gigawatts) to 10GW by 2020. Redcar & Cleveland College has also struck an agreement with Maersk Training in Aberdeen to deliver accredited drilling courses at the college to people hoping to rise up the oil and gas industry career ladder. These include foundation and advanced programs in drilling competency, IWCF courses covering well control and well intervention, and a senior management and incident response program designed to upskill oil installation managers. The courses are scheduled to start this month and build upon the college’s existing learning programs for oil and gas professionals.

Graeme Wood, project and development manager at Redcar & Cleveland College, said: “To work in the oil & gas, and offshore wind industries you need essential skills and knowledge. This is why we deliver a range of nationally recognized unique qualifications that help people retrain or plan their entry into these sectors.

“We’re excited to be working with Maersk Training’s Newcastle and Aberdeen operations and together we aim to improve the skills base of the local oil, gas and offshore wind supply chains.” John Abate, managing director of Maersk Training in Aberdeen, said: “The oil and gas industry, and the offshore wind energy sector, are changing at a rapid pace, and there are numerous opportunities for people seeking employment. Although the oil and gas industry has been through a challenging time, the oil price has recovered recently and companies are still seeking highly skilled professionals to work on lucrative projects.

“Our partnership with Redcar & Cleveland College will help people to access training which allows them to operate safely and efficiently in these fast-paced industries.”

Trelleborg's offshore operation in Norway is expanding its production capability with a new manufacturing line. The addition will complement its current range of thermal insulation materials by adding Fusion Bonded Epoxy (FBE) powder coating and polypropylene (PP) to its portfolio, solidifying the company’s leading position as a subsea system thermal insulation provider.

Hans Leo Hals, Managing Director of Trelleborg's offshore operation in Norway, says: "We are very excited to expand our offerings to our customers with additional materials and a wider product range. The new materials complement our current activities and ensures we continue to focus on our customers first, allowing us to offer the optimum solution based on customers’ project requirements, meeting their cost and performance needs."

In addition, to establish and operate the new production line initiative, Trelleborg will strengthen its team with two new hires. With a combined experience of over 40 years working with thermoplastics, Eirik Simonsen and Adam Jackson, will take on the roles of Thermal Insulation Business Group Director and Technical Manager.

Simonsen says: "I am delighted to work on establishing the new production line and look forward to introducing new materials to our customers. It is extremely important to meet customer needs and we believe we are now better equipped to do so.”

The new production line will be built at Trelleborg's facility based in Krokstadelva, Norway and is planned to initially occupy 1,000 square meters. The initiative will add FBE powder coating and PP material options to the facilities vast range of Vikotherm™ thermal insulation materials including rubber, silicone, glass syntactic polyurethane and solid polyurethane. The manufacturing line should be in production from quarter one of 2017.

CGG announced at ONS 2016 the launch of TopSeis™, the latest evolution in offshore broadband seismic, specifically designed to overcome the intrinsic lack of near offsets inherent in 3D towed-streamer seismic.

Exacerbated by the use of progressively wider spreads to meet the industry’s quest for greater efficiency, the lack of near offsets leads to an inability to image shallow geological features, such as faults, gas pockets, channels and stratigraphic pinch-outs, effectively. By overcoming this shortcoming, TopSeis enables exploration and development teams to make critical investment decisions on the basis of superior high-density broadband data delivered at a lower cost compared to other techniques, notably ocean bottom seismic.

TopSeis is the latest outcome of eight years of collaboration between Lundin Norway AS and CGG to develop innovative broadband solutions, including early benchmarking of CGG’s BroadSeis™ solution, to improve subsurface understanding and increase exploration success. Its dual-vessel acquisition design, which places CGG’s broadband source over a customized receiver spread, combined with proprietary imaging, is an industry first. Extensive field trials have shown TopSeis to be a highly-effective solution which delivers unsurpassed broadband imaging of shallow targets.

Turning the concept of shooting-over-the-spread acquisition into reality required a team of experts from multiple CGG business lines, including marine, multi-client, subsurface imaging and Sercel equipment.

TopSeis will play a key part in a forthcoming integrated geoscience study, including an extensive commercial survey CGG plans to acquire in the Barents Sea in 2017. This will offer other early adopters of this new technology the opportunity to benefit from the anticipated step-change in image quality for exploration and development in this region. TopSeis is also expected to have significant potential for applications in other areas offshore Norway as well as other parts of the world.

Halvor Jahre, Exploration Manager, Lundin Norway AS, said: “After successful close cooperation with CGG to develop, design and test the TopSeis acquisition concept, we view TopSeis as the next generation of broadband seismic acquisition. Results from a test offshore Gabon appear to confirm the data uplift indicated by modeling studies and we plan to move forward with full-scale TopSeis surveys on the Loppa High in the Barents Sea during 2017.”

Jean-Georges Malcor, CEO of CGG, said: “CGG has once again drawn on the multi-disciplinary expertise within its integrated geoscience offering to spearhead another step-change in seismic imaging to enhance subsurface knowledge. We are delighted to have had the opportunity to work so closely with Lundin on the development of TopSeis and look forward to seeing how this solution will open the door to a better understanding of shallow reservoirs to help oil and gas companies extract the full potential of these highly prospective fields in the Barents Sea and beyond. As we have seen with StagSeis™, the full-azimuth solution that we purpose-designed for subsalt imaging in the Gulf of Mexico, these made-to- measure approaches can prove very successful and reap dividends for the industry as a whole.”

LQT Industries, LLC, a full-service provider of high quality accommodation facilities, design-build construction services, and support services to the energy and industrial markets, has delivered their first aluminum blast rated rental building to a petrochemical company in Louisiana.

“LQT continues to expand their aluminum building technology with blast rated modules (BRM) for use in a variety of industries. Our customers are increasingly seeing the benefits of aluminum for its strength, durability, low maintenance, and continuing track record of success in some of the harshest conditions,” said Bill Guidry, VP at LQT Industries. “Whether E Houses, offices, RIE’s, man camps or operator shelters, LQT’s aluminum buildings meet the demand.”

LQT expanded into the petrochemical/industrial market in 2015 and estimates that 25% of current revenue is generated from the industrial/petrochemical market segment. The company currently has projects for fire and safety, new construction, equipment rentals, and blast rated rental buildings in this market. The high quality of service and after-market support for which LQT is known in the offshore energy sector has been a key factor of growth in the petrochemical/industrial market.

LQT is also shipping over 27 offshore aluminum modular buildings with auxiliary equipment to support offshore Gulf of Mexico operations for major oil and gas companies. “We are extremely encouraged by the response we are getting from our customers. Our aluminum buildings and service set the standard in the GOM,” said Randy Dardar, Broussard Operations Manager at LQT Industries.

CGG has announced that it has signed an agreement with GNPC Operating Services Company Ltd (GOSCO), an independent Ghanaian E&P services company, to form a joint-venture company dedicated to conducting high-end 2D, 3D and 4D marine seismic acquisition and related services in the territorial waters of the Republic of Ghana.

The primary aim of the joint-venture company, known as GOSCO Geoscience Limited (GGSL), is to make available world-class seismic vessels and state-of-the-art marine seismic acquisition technologies and services to oil and gas industry players operating in Ghana. The new joint venture will be a Ghanaian indigenous company and be based in Accra. Its creation also recognizes and supports the requirement for knowledge transfer and capacity-building in the Ghanaian E&P industry as well as the need for safe and efficient oil and gas operations undertaken to the highest international standards.

Jean-Georges Malcor, CEO, CGG, said: “We have joined forces with GOSCO to set up this joint venture as a response to recent growing industry interest in Ghana’s oil and gas potential. This move is another example of CGG’s strategy to work in partnership with local oil and gas players to benefit from their experience of working in the country while bringing them the benefit of CGG’s global expertise as a leading technology provider. We believe this joint venture will create a strong vehicle for growth in Ghana’s E&P industry.”

Add Energy, the international oil and gas upstream consultancy provider, has doubled its workforce in Aberdeen and Houston to 55 personnel as a result of recent UK and abroad contract wins.

The contract wins, which include BP and two additional oil and gas operators and expansion into power generation, has allowed the company to secure the jobs for the next three years in its asset and integrity management division, despite the current low oil price environment.

Add Energy has recently seen an increase in business, acquiring a number of contracts for maintenance optimisation and cost saving solutions to support companies operating in the challenging environment.

Peter Adam, Executive Vice President, Add Energy commented: “We are thrilled to have increased the headcount in our Aberdeen office, especially at a time when many companies are looking to reduce personnel. We have endeavoured to recruit locally during the process to ensure opportunities for both the development and employment of graduate engineers in the city.”

“Recruiting locally also allowed us to attain the local expertise and build a pool of highly experienced principle engineers to consult for our clients and also mentor and coach younger engineers for the future.”

Add Energy plan to invest further into the local economy and secure work for another 10 personnel before the end of 2016 in order to continue the business, and service other clients and contracts.

Quest Offshore Resources, Inc. ("Quest Offshore") announces the sale of its data and subscriptions business to Verisk Analytics, Inc. (Nasdaq:VRSK), a leading data analytics provider.

"We welcome the addition of Quest Offshore's data and subscriptions business," said Scott Stephenson, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Verisk Analytics. "This follows our strategy to invest in businesses with unique data assets, deep domain expertise, and market-leading analysis."

The data and subscriptions business will become part of Wood Mackenzie, a Verisk Analytics business, and will complement Wood Mackenzie's existing upstream analysis expertise.

"Through this acquisition, our upstream oil and gas clients will be able to make better investment decisions through access to a unique understanding of availability, capability, and price in key offshore equipment and service markets," added Neal Anderson, president of Wood Mackenzie.

"The sale of Quest Offshore's data and subscriptions business to Wood Mackenzie, including the market sector specialist personnel who drive it, will enable our collective clients to receive an expanded service offering and added strategic value," added Paul Hillegeist, President of Quest Offshore.

Quest Offshore's Retained Business

Quest Offshore's dedicated focus on the energy markets will continue through its Consulting and Conference Divisions, both of which will be retained by Quest Offshore. The sale of the data and subscriptions business will allow Quest Offshore to better serve its Consulting and Conference clients and rapidly grow these enterprises.

Quest Consulting will continue its focus on strategy and management consulting across the full spectrum of the energy landscape, including expansion of Quest Offshore's strategic due diligence services related to mergers and acquisitions working with major financial clients globally, including a specialized focus on U.S. private equity. Quest Consulting also specializes in providing customized analysis to help businesses, government agencies and other groups make strategic data-driven decisions led from both qualitative and quantitative research. Quest Offshore's industry expertise and wide array of knowledgeable expert contacts across the supply chain will continue to serve as key assets to Quest Consulting. Quest Offshore will continue its client-driven consulting process to provide accurate and concise results in a tailored customer format.

Established in 2000, Quest Offshore's Conference Division has organized "Deepwater-Focused" events from 100 to 10,000 attendees, primarily in the United States, Europe and Brazil and will continue to strive to deliver the highest quality technical conferences and exhibitions in the Upstream sector. Quest Offshore's annual MCE Deepwater Development conference, first held in Amsterdam in 2003, returns to Amsterdam for its 15th anniversary, April 3 through 5, 2017, and is considered by many to be one of the world's premier Offshore conferences.

"The sale of the data and subscription business will allow us to focus more effort and resources into MCE Deepwater Development, as well as expand our network to serve future industry events," said John Chadderdon, CEO of Quest Offshore.

The 2017 Offshore Achievement Awards were on September 7, 2016 at this year’s Intelligent Energy conference, taking place in Aberdeen for the first time.

Following a record 30th anniversary year (in terms of both entrants and attendees) for the awards in 2016, event organisers the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Aberdeen and returning principal sponsor TAQA are looking forward to hearing the success stories of both companies and individuals when entries open on 3 October. As in previous years, entries are welcome from both the offshore oil and gas and renewables sectors.

Categories this year will continue to feature a heavy focus on technology with The Innovator, Emerging Technology, Safety Innovations and Environmental Innovation Awards remaining an important part of the line-up.

Last year’s Significant Contribution Award winner, Dan Purkis

Similarly, individuals will be eligible for the Young Professional, Above and Beyond and Significant Contribution categories, whilst businesses can apply for the Great Large and Great Small Company, Outstanding Skills Development Programme, Export Achievement and Collaboration.

This year will see the return of SPE Aberdeen director Ian Phillips as chairman of the awards. Ian is also chief executive of the Oil and Gas Innovation Centre and part of the Intelligent Energy 2016 Executive Committee.

Ian said: “In the middle of a significant downturn, last year’s awards were an encouraging boost for the offshore industry, and a reminder that innovation and collaboration are still a vital part of the current much-needed cost-reduction efforts.

“A key part of ensuring this innovation continues is by encouraging the development of new ideas and technologies, which is why Intelligent Energy is such a perfect platform to launch this year’s awards. The conference theme, ‘New Horizons: Intelligent Energy in a Changing World’, is completely aligned with SPE’s mission to exchange knowledge related to exploration, development and production, the foundation of the Offshore Achievement Awards.

“With just under a month until entries open for this year’s awards, we again urge anyone with a success story to come forward and be recognised. Previous winners have used the OAA accolade in a number of ways, from peer endorsement of their technology to recognition of their workforce. We hope to see the 2017 finalists and winners continue to build upon this momentum.”

Last year’s Significant Contribution winner, Dan Purkis, was part of the opening breakfast for this year’s Intelligent Energy. He said: “Winning the 2016 Significant Contribution Award wasn’t just a great honour, it has also served as a platform for recognition, aiding Well-SENSE’s exposure and leading to enquiries from operators and service companies around the globe.

“I would whole heartedly encourage those considering entering the awards to do so; celebrating success has never been more important.”

Entries from UK-registered companies operating within the renewables or the oil and gas industry will open on Monday 3 October, 2016.

The 2016 Offshore Achievement Awards categories are:

• Emerging Technology
• Innovator
• Safety Innovations
• Environmental Innovation
• Export Achievement
• Collaboration
• Outstanding Skills Development Programme
• Young Professional
• Above and Beyond
• Great Small Company
• Great Large Company
• Significant Contribution

The awards are open for entries until Wednesday 30 November, 2016. The black tie ceremony will take place at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre on Thursday 23 March, 2017. For further information and entry criteria, please visit www.spe-oaa.org.

The SPE Aberdeen Section is the largest in the UK with more than 2,500 members and is run entirely by volunteers.

SPE Aberdeen members represent a range of ages, genders and nationalities, and the Section supports student chapters at five universities in Scotland. SPE Aberdeen works closely with the oil and gas industry, Scottish universities and local schools, institutes and academia, to advance the learning and technical excellence in all aspects of the industry: offshore, onshore and internationally.

SPE Aberdeen won the SPE International Award for Section Excellence for the sixth consecutive year in 2015. For more information on this award winning section, please click here.

McMurdo, the most trusted name in emergency readiness and response and part of Orolia Group, has announced a new family of EPIRBs that will accelerate the search and rescue process by combining multiple frequencies into a single EPIRB product.

The McMurdo SmartFind and Kannad SafePro EPIRBs will be the world’s first distress beacons that can support each of the four frequencies used in the search and rescue process: 406MHz and 121.5MHz for beacon transmission; GNSS for location positioning; and AIS for localized connectivity. This multiple-frequency capability will ensure faster detection, superior positioning accuracy, greater signal reliability and ultimately, accelerated rescue of people or vessels in distress.

“With this announcement, we continue our long tradition of market leadership and product innovation in the maritime industry,” said Justine Heeley of McMurdo UK. “From GMDSS shipsets to AIS man overboard devices to personal locator beacons, and now with these latest EPIRB advancements, we are dedicated to developing state-of-the-art technologies that keep people safe while navigating our world’s waterways,” she added.

Global and Local Technology Convergence – The majority of today’s EPIRBs use 406MHz and 121.5MHz frequencies via satellite communication to provide location and positioning data to global search and rescue personnel who may be several hundred miles away. The additional AIS channels on the new McMurdo SmartFind G8 AIS and Kannad SafePro AIS EPIRBs will send position signal information to standard AIS electronic equipment on nearby vessels for complementary, local tracking and rescue capabilities. This global and local rescue capability will result in quicker signal detection and faster response times.

Expanded Satellite Connectivity – McMurdo SmartFind and Kannad SafePro EPIRBs have a multiple GNSS satellite constellation receiver supporting Galileo (once the Galileo constellation is fully operational), GPS and GLONASS – from a single beacon. Advanced GNSS data processing results in faster detection of positioning coordinates and enhances the accuracy of the emergency location.

Part of a Cohesive Ecosystem – The McMurdo SmartFind and Kannad SafePro EPIRBs are part of McMurdo’s comprehensive search and rescue ecosystem. As the world’s only provider of an end-to-end search and rescue ecosystem – including distress beacons, satellite ground stations, mission control and rescue coordination systems and rescue response products – McMurdo uniquely builds, integrates and tests products as part of a live search and rescue system. This ensures greater cohesion between distress signal transmission and reception so that beacon owners can feel confident that their signals will get to search and rescue authorities quickly.

MEOSAR Compatibility – The McMurdo SmartFind and Kannad SafePro EPIRBs are designed to be fully compatible with MEOSAR, the next generation of the Cospas-Sarsat international search and rescue satellite system that has helped to save over 40,000 lives since 1982. MEOSAR will increase the speed and accuracy of beacon signal detection and location with new MEOSAR ground network infrastructure and additional MEOSAR satellites. When fully deployed, a MEOSAR-compatible beacon can be located with an accuracy of location within 100 meters (328 feet), 95 percent of the time – and within five minutes of distress signal activation, all without reliance on GNSS. McMurdo currently manufactures approximately 50 percent of the world’s MEOSAR infrastructure and is also leading the design of additional MEOSAR-capable beacons under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program’s HELIOS project.

“McMurdo’s new EPIRB announcement is a major step towards achieving a unified search and rescue vision,” said Bruce Reid, CEO of the International Maritime Rescue Federation. “The convergence of products and systems whether AIS and 406MHz or maritime domain awareness and search and rescue, respectively, will require a comprehensive understanding of the entire search and rescue ecosystem. I look forward to seeing more McMurdo solutions and innovations that will shape the search and rescue industry for years to come,” he added.

Aker Solutions is introducing a new executive management team as part of a broader reorganization aimed at further strengthening operational and financial performance and better meeting customer needs.

The new organization will have five delivery centers: Customer Management, Front End, Products, Projects and Services. This set-up will help drive further standardization and accelerate a companywide improvement program to boost cost-efficiency by at least 30 percent by the end of 2017. The new team will be operational from Nov. 1.

"We are taking this step to generate even greater synergies across the group and enhance our ability to create value for customers and shareholders," said Chief Executive Officer Luis Araujo. "The move will speed up our global improvement efforts by putting in place even leaner workflows, eliminating duplication and cultivating our strengths as a leading offshore oil-services provider."

As part of the plan, Dean Watson has been named chief operating officer. Watson joins from Schlumberger, where he has held various leadership positions, and will report to Araujo.

The other executive management team members were selected internally. Valborg Lundegaard, currently head of Engineering, will lead the customer management center. Svenn Ivar Fure will continue to lead the company's front end efforts. Egil Boyum, currently head of the subsea business in Europe and Africa, will lead the products center. Knut Sandvik will lead the projects center, moving from being head of Maintenance, Modifications and Operations. David Clark, currently regional head for Europe and Africa, will lead the services center.

Svein Stoknes will remain as chief financial officer and Mark Riding will continue as head of strategy. "The new set-up will facilitate a strategy to grow our services organization and pursue a more international business with a diverse customer base," said Araujo. "It will build on the consistently strong execution we're showing on major projects globally."

Current Head of Subsea Alan Brunnen and Head of Operational Improvement and Risk Management Tore Sjursen will remain at Aker Solutions through to the end of the year to maintain the good momentum and help in the transition to a new structure.

"I wish to thank both Tore and Alan for their strong dedication and valuable contribution over many years in the development of Aker Solutions," said Araujo. "I wish them every success."

The company will continue to report financial figures for the third quarter, fourth quarter and full year of 2016 based on the existing organizational structure.

Leading global deck machinery specialist, ACE Winches, has recently been awarded a spooling contract with Vard Group AS for Norway’s largest construction vessel. The scope of work includes the spooling of two 3,500 metre ROV umbilicals, the spooling of a crane boom wire and aux wire, including 3,900 metres of 135mm wire on to the vessel’s crane. The largest wire on this project weighs 360te, ACE Winches had to build a new upgraded spooling winch to accommodate the weight. The contract will see a dedicated team work on the project.

Alfie Cheyne, CEO, ACE Winches said: “This project is a huge achievement for ACE Winches and demonstrates our capacity to take on large scale contracts where we are given responsibility for the whole project.”

The project comes as ACE Winches announced the appointment of Andy Thom to its board as Chief Commercial Officer. Andy joins ACE Winches from Sea Trucks Group where he had held several senior management roles since 2008. Andy will be attending ONS 2016 along with Alfie Cheyne and the ACE Winches Norge team. ONS takes place from 29 August – 1 September.

Alfie continued: “We are thrilled to be welcoming Andy to the team. Andy’s experience and knowledge will be invaluable to the company and I look forward to working closely with him to steer the company through the current challenging market conditions.”